African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (12), pp.

1439-1442, December 2005

Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB
ISSN 16845315 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Preliminary Studies on Piliostigma thonningii seeds:

Proximate analysis, mineral composition and
phytochemical screening
Jimoh F.O.* and Oladiji A.T.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
Accepted 27 October, 2005

Qualitative determination of chemical and nutritional composition of Piliostigma thonningii, an

underexploited crop seed in Nigeria, was carried out. Seeds of P. thonningii were found to be rich in
crude protein, carbohydrate, and mineral elements. Mineral analysis of P. thonningii showed the seed
as good source of antioxidant micronutrients such as iron, calcium, selenium, zinc and manganese.
The phytochemical screening of the seed showed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, phenolics,
glycosides, anthraquinones as well as cardiac glycosides while tannins, steroids, phylobatannins and
triterpenes were absent. Although the oil has a very low peroxide value and high iodine value, it cannot
be recommended for consumption because of the low yield as well as its repulsive odour. The seed,
however, can serve as a cheap source of protein, energy, as well as antioxidant micronutrients
supplements in both man and animal.
Key words: Piliostigma thonningii, proximate composition, phytochemical screening, antioxidant micronutrients.
INTRODUCTION
Piliostigma thonningii is a leguminous plant belonging to
the family Caesalpiniacea, a family that comprises of
trees, shrubs or very rarely scramblers. The tree is
perennial in nature and its petals are white to pinkish
colour produced between November and April. While the
fruits, which is a hairy, hard, flattish pod turns rusty
brown, woody and twisted which splits at ripening and
usually persistent on the tree are produced between
June and September (Lock and Simpson, 1999) .
Locally, the seed is called Abefe in the Yoruba land
(Nigeria). Other names include Monkey bread, Camels
foot, Kalgo (Hausa) and Okpoatu (Ibo). P. thonningii
grows in open woodland and savannah regions that are
moist and wooded grassland in low to medium altitudes.
It is widely distributed in Africa and Asia. It is found
growing abundantly as a wild uncultivated tree in many
parts of Nigeria such as Zaria, Bauchi, Ilorin, Plateau,
Lagos and Abeokuta (Schultes and Hofmann, 1973;
Djuma, 2003).
The seeds of P. thonningii fruits have been reported to

*Corresponding author. E-mail asjimoh02@yahoo.com.

be eaten by African antelope and elephant while farmers

in the lower Savanna region grind up the seed as fodder
for cattle during winter months (Djuma, 2003). Although
considerable information now exists on the nutrient
composition of most well known and easily cultivated
legumes in Nigeria, no information could however be
obtained concerning the nutritional properties of this
seed which is not cultivated but not well known.
Moreover, different parts of P. thoningii have also been
described as useful medicinally (Djuma, 2003). Its root
and twig have been used for the treatment of dysentery,
fever, infections, respiratory ailments, snake bites,
hookworm and skin diseases. Despite this medicinal
usefulness, no information could be obtained as regards
the phytochemical chemical screening of this plant. The
purpose of this work therefore was to chemically
evaluate the nutrient composition of P. thonningii seeds
as well as its phytochemical composition.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
P. Thonningii plant and seeds were identified at the Botany
Department of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. All samples were
harvested as one batch on the Campus of the University of Ilorin,
Nigeria during the harmattan season of 2002. The seeds were

1440

Afr. J. Biotechnol.

collected by hand after disrupting the pods. Dried seeds were

subsequently milled into powder and stored in air-tight stopped
glassware before analysis was carried out on it.
A portion of the milled sample soaked in petroleum ether (b. p.
40 - 60C) at room temperature (25C), and shaken for 36 h with
several changes of solvent (4 times). Evaporation of the petroleum
ether was performed using a rotary evaporator on a water bath for
1 h. The oil produced was stored in a refrigerator at 4C in dark
tightly stoppered glass until analysis.
The defatted flour was air-dried at room temperature (~25C)
and shaken for 36 h. It was further shaken in a vacuum oven at
50C for 2 h followed by further grinding to powder to obtain fine
flour. The flour was placed in airtight-stoppered glassware before
analysis.
Chemical analysis
Chemical composition of P. thonningii seed was determined using
the AOAC methods (1990). Moisture (method 14:004), total ash
(method 14:006), crude fibre (method 14.020), total fat (method
7.056) and protein (method 2.057) were assayed and CHO was
obtained by difference (FAO, 1985). The energy content of the
seed was calculated using the Bradburys equation.

Table 1. Proximate composition of Piliostigma

thonningii seeds.

Component
Moisture content
Ash
Crude protein
Crude fibre
Lipid
CHO

Table 2. Mineral
thonningii seeds.

Minerals
Fe
Se
Ca
Zn
Mn
P

Value (% composition)
6.71 0.04
3.50 0.04
30.33 0.31
35.03 0.11
1.42 0.03
23.00 0.24

composition

of

Piliostigma

Concentration (ppm)
781.70232.90
3.3 0.40
43.11 0.34
0.016 0.06
1.00 0.02
0.02 0.01

Mineral contents of defatted flour

Samples of defatted flour were digested by concentrated nitric acid
and perchloric acid (1:1v/v). Na, Ca and K were estimated using
emission flame photometer, while Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu were
determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer using
standard methods.
Phytochemical screening
The presence of tannins, phenolics, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, phlobatannins and triterpenes were detected by the
method described by Odebiyi and Sofowora (1978).
Physicochemical characteristics of the oil
The free fatty acids, acid value, peroxide value and iodine value of
the oil sample were determined according to AOCS (1973).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The proximate compositions of P. thonningii are
presented in Table 1. The lipid content recorded the
lowest (1.42 0.03%) amongst the nutrient composition
while the crude fibre was found to be the highest (35.03
0.11%). Legumes, except the oil legumes, have been
reported to be low in fat content ranging from 1-5%.
However oilseeds have a range of lipid contents from
about 18% in soyabean to as high as 43% in groundnut
(Apata and Ologhobo, 1994; Ene-Obong and Carnovale,
1992; Swaminathan and Jain, 1973). This implies that P.
thonningi is not an oil seed.
The level of dietary fibre is quite high when compared
with that of most legumes and seeds (Elegbede, 1998).
Although crude fibre enhances digestibility, the presence

of high fibre levels in diet can cause intestinal irritation,

lower digestibility and overall decreased nutrient
utilization (Oyenuga and Fetuga, 1975; Johns, 1987).
Of all legumes, soyabeans are the richest in terms of
protein content (43%), while others have protein content
ranging from 20 - 25% (Apata and Ologhobo, 1994; EneObong and Carnovale, 1992; Swaminathan and Jain,
1973) The high crude protein content of P. thonningii
seed (30.33 0.31%) coupled with the fact that it is
abundant in this part of the world may encourage its use
as high protein sources in some food formulations.
The moisture content of P. thonningii (6.71 0.40%) is
lower than that of most legume seeds (Giani, 1993;
Temple et al., 1991). This implies that the shelf life for
this seed will likely be longer than that of most legumes.
The ash content of 3.50 0.04% for this seed is
comparable with that of other legumes which has been
reported to range between 3.0 and 4.8% (Elegbede,
1998). While the carbohydrate content (23.00 0.24%) is
at the lower side when compared with that of other
legumes ranging from 23% in groundnut to 66% in
Bambara groundnut (Apata and Ologhobo, 1994; EneObong and Carnovale, 1993).
The level of iron amongst all minerals analyzed was
found to be the highest (Table 2). This might be of
nutritional importance especially in the part of the world
where anaemia and iron deficiency is relatively rampant.
P. thonningii seed are also good sources and of calcium
(43.11 ppm) while zinc (0.016 ppm), manganese (1.00
ppm) and phosphorus (0.02 ppm) levels were quite low
then compared with iron and calcium but comparable
with values reported for some legumes (Elegbede,
1998). Iron, selenium, zinc and manganese are

Jimoh and Oladiji

Table 3. Phytochemical screening of Piliostigma

thonningii seeds.

Phytochemical component
Saponins
Tannins
Steroids
Flavonoids
Phylobatannins
Phenolics
Glycosides
Anthraquinone
Triterpenes
Cardiac glycosides

Result
Present
Absent
Absent
Present
Absent
Present
Present
Present
Absent
Present

Table 4. Physicochemical characteristics of the oil

obtained from Piliostigma thonningii seeds.

Properties
Acid value
Iodine value
Peroxide value
Colour
Odour

Values
13.731.40
50.76 1.80
1.08 0.08
Green
Repulsive

antioxidant micronutrients (Talwar et al., 1989) and their

presence could therefore boost the immune system.
The phytochemical screening of the seed (Table 3)
showed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, phenolics,
glycosides, anthraquinones as well as cardiac
glycosides; while tannins, steroids, phylobatannins and
triterpenes were absent. Some of these chemical
compounds have been reported to have inhibitory effects
on some gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli
and Bacillus subtilis amongst others (Kamony, 1995).
They also have prominent effects on animal systems and
microbial cells (Liu et al., 1990; Topcu et al., 1993;
Oyagade et al., 1999). The presence of these chemical
compounds therefore suggests the pharmacological
activities of P. thonninggi. Saponins are glycoside
components often referred to as natural detergent
because of their foamy nature (Seigler, 1998). Saponins
in seeds have been known to posses both beneficial and
deleterious properties depending on its concentration in
the sample (Seigler, 1998; Oakenful and Sidhu, 1989).
Seigler
(1998)
reported
that
saponins
have
anticarcinogenic properties, immune modulation activites
and regulation of cell proliferation as well as health
benefits such as inhibition of the growth of cancer cells
and cholesterol lowering activity. The concentration of
saponins in P. thonningii need therefore be ascertained.
Flavonoids have been reported to exert multiple
biological effects including antibacterial, antiviral,
antitoxic and anti-inflammatory activities (Cook and

1441

Samman, 1996). Many of these alleged effects of

flavonoids have been linked to their known functions as
strong antioxidants, free radical scavenger and metal
chelators (Torel et al., 1986; Nakayama et al., 1993). The
positive effects of glycosides and cardiac glycosides are
not common but their toxic effects include decreased
heart rate, decreased sympathetic activity and decreased
systemic vascular resistance (Seigler, 1998). The
presence of some of these antinutrients could however
be reduced by various processing techniques (Elegbede,
1998)
Some of the physiochemical properties of the crude oil
extracted from P. thonningii seed are shown is Table 4.
The oil of P. thonningii had a lower iodine value
compared with that of watermelon, pumpkin and paprika
seed oil (El- Adawy and Taha, 2001), thus reflecting a
lower degree of unsaturation. Although this implies better
stability or shelf life due to the fact that it will be more
resistant to oxidation, it also implies that it may not
contain a high percentage of essential fatty acids (Gurr
and James, 1975). The peroxide value was found to be
low. The codex Alimentations commission (1982)
stipulated a permitted maximum peroxide level of not
more than 10 mequivalent of peroxide oxygen/kg of oil.
The colour and odour of the oil were green and repulsive,
respectively. This, in addition to the low oil yield, will not
enhance the use of the oil for domestic purposes. It is
worthwhile to indicate that there are no data in the
literature of the chemical and physical properties of P.
thonningii seed oil for comparison.
In view of the present study, it would appear that if the
levels of antinutrients components are ascertained and
appropriate methods applied for their reduction/removal,
P. thonningii could be utilized as a cheap source of
protein, energy, minerals and antioxidant supplement for
both man and/or livestock.
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